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House Eridanus
The great and noble House Eridanus has, since time immemorial, served as the loyal and trusted exchequers, financiers, treasurers, and collectors of the Imperial tithes. It is the only House trusted to protect and maintain the accounts of the Imperial throne, and is largely responsible for guiding and regulating the manufacturing industry of Acheron Rho. House Eridanus was one of the seven houses that formed The Minor Houses of the Astral Synedrium and is now operating independently after the legal acquisition of the A.C.R.E. corporation. Eridanus has historically maintained the closest and most productive relationship with the various organizations in the sector, with special economic relationships with The Trilliant Ring, Deathless Conflict Solutions, and recently SERAPH. __TOC__ Role in the Empire House Eridanus controls the full industrial capacity of Eridanii companies and the, now dissolved, A.C.R.E. corporation. These companies contribute the largest amount of consumer goods, resource mining and industrial processing in Acheron Rho. One of the oldest and most central responsibilities of the House is to collect taxes for the Imperial Treasury. Eridanii nobles are respected for their knowledge and experience in matters of finance, economics, and administration. Nobles and institutions across the sector manage their finances through the Eridanus Imperial Bank. House Eridanus Nobility Count/Countess The generic title for any Eridanii landowner is Count or Countess. The absence of an occupational title indicates they do not specialize in any one occupation and often live off the income of their serfs. In urban areas, the demesne of a Count may include several neighborhoods or even a small city but in rural regions, an entire river valley may be an Eridanii county. Viscount/Viscountess Viscount or Viscoutness is the generic title for lesser Eridanii nobles. They are the vassals of landed Counts. Landed Viscounts are lords of a single city block or maybe the castellans of a modest estate in the country. Most Eridanii Viscounts are unlanded, with little inheritance opportunities. They often function in supportive roles to their landed family members. House Eridanus Class Structure House Eridanus citizens hold a hierarchical position in society, depending on their birth and wealth. Citizens are divided into nobles and serfs by birthright, and a further hierarchy is established based on personal wealth and connections. Class segregation among serfs corresponds to their position in the House Eridanus corporate structure, with labourers on the bottom and management at the top. For serfs outside the corporate structure, the prestige of their function decides their position in the hierarchy. Administrative functions in the Imperial bureaucracy or the Eridanus Imperial bank are considered the most prestigious. Eridanii nobility can be roughly divided into four social strata. The stratum one falls under is a combination of personal wealth, land ownership, and social connections. The four strata are: House Eridanus’ Upper Echelon The upper echelon of the House consists of Eridanii Count(esses) that hold important political positions. They are the 1% of the House that together make important political decisions. The Triumvirate, Actimaestri, Savii, Recounts, Rectors, the Scrutineers, and members of important House Committees and Councils are all part of this elite group, and collectively hold most of the political capital in the House. Landed Eridanii Count(esses) Eridanii Count(esses) are the largest group of Landed Eridanii Nobles. They make up around 40% of House Eridanus’ nobility. Collectively, they own most of the wealth and social capital in the House. The primary income of these landed nobles is collecting income from their serfs. Additionally, many own large Noble Companies. Some Count(esses) hold important positions in the Offices of the Triumvirate. These nobles are usually fully committed to their occupational title, and leave the management of their holdings to unlanded family members, or servants. Landed Eridanii Viscount(esses) Landed Viscount(esses) make up around 20% of House Eridanus’ nobility. They are always beholden to another Count(ess) who serves as their liege lord, often a family member. Viscount(esses) have far less political power than their Count(esse) lieges. Landed Viscount(esses) own relatively small plots of land, that are granted to them by their liege lord. Liege lords do this to subdivide their holdings for easier management. Unlanded Eridanii Viscount(esses) Unlanded Viscount(esses) make up around 40% of House Eridanus’ nobility. They are often younger children of the landed nobility and have little inheritance opportunities. They are technically the largest group of Eridanii nobility but hold disproportionately little political power due to a lack of wealth and social capital. Many unlanded Viscount(esses) have occupational titles to obfuscate their lack of status. They find work inside the Imperial administration, Imperial Bank or Offices of the Triumvirate. Other Viscount(esses) work for their landed family members in overseeing the family’s High Companies. Unlanded Viscount(esses) have fewer responsibilities and are more often permitted to choose adventurous occupations, such as the military. As opposed to their landed siblings, who are expected to find safer occupations. Serf class structure “Freemen” and the middle class House Eridanus follows the Chain of Being set out by The High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox, and as such does not have an official middle class. An Eridanii citizen is either a noble, or a serf. However, not all serfs are treated equally. The Eridanii serfs that work as the middle and upper management in Eridanii companies have a significant amount of influence within the House. These serfs are more politically powerful than their working-class counterparts, and have access to luxuries and opportunities a regular serf can only dream of. Although each of them is subservient to their noble liege, these wealthier serfs operate with minimal oversight from the nobility. They effectively form the House Eridanus middle class that manages the daily operations of the Eridanus economy. A.C.R.E. Directors With the A.C.R.E. audit, a large amount of corporate-controlled assets came under the control of House Eridanus, and with these assets came its upper management and Directors. Many of these Directors were convicted of treason by House Crux, while others were pardoned for their assistance in the lawful takeover of the A.C.R.E. corporation by House Eridanus. These pardoned Directors now serve House Eridanus as C.E.O.s of High companies and market experts in the upper management of the Actii Mercantil. House Eridanus requires their expertise in running the mass-market economy of A.C.R.E. to propel the growth of the sector. Discounts and the upper class Most ex-Directors took part in The Ritual of Eternal Spring to gain the legal status of Discount. They are all excessively wealthy and hold important positions within the economic structure of the new House Eridanus. Officially, each Discount has the status of a serf and has a Noble liege. Many Discounts choose to enter their liege's family, by marrying one of the less important members of the family. Discounts have an odd place in the hierarchy of the House. They are more wealthy and powerful than many Eridanii nobles, but are technically still serfs and have little social status. Even so, most nobles have to treat a Discount with begrudging respect, due to the large amount of influence they possess. Lesser serfs treat Discounts as if they were nobles. It is not uncommon for a lesser serf to mistakenly address a Discount as ‘my lord/lady’. Nobles never call a Discount by their legal “title”, as calling a serf by a noble-sounding title goes against the Chain of Being. Discounts are effectively noble in all but name. For maneuvering within Eridanii politics, a Discount acts in the name of their Noble liege, effectively using their liege lord as an ablative shield for their inherently lower social standing. Government Organization 'The Vaultkeeper' The Vaultkeeper is the most prestigious leader of Eridanus. Vaulkeeper Eridanus Eridanus Avon II currenlty serves in this role. The position is a hereditary title given to the head of the 'Eridanus Family' who are the keepers of the Eridanus Imperial Bank. Whilst they have no direct power over the Triumvirate or the operation of the Triumvirates individual offices, the Vaultkeeper and their family oversee the operations of the Imperial Treasury and all documentation towards the Eridanus Imperial Bank must pass through them. Also known as Vaultkeeper Eridanus Eridanus, the Eridanus family claims to trace their lineage back to the original settlers who established House Eridanus within the sector. The previous Eridanus Emperox, Empress Eridanus Eridanus Juliana, was the Vaultkeeper before her anointment. 'Triumvirate' The three political leaders of House Eridanus work together as a Triumvirate. The Trivox, Taxarch, and Transactos serve as the heads of diplomacy, taxation, and trade respectively. Each of these roles oversees large departments within the Eridanii government that handle various aspects of the day to day running of the House and its responsibilities. Elections for Triumvirate positions happens when a member steps down with various political parties vying for control. The Actii Mercantil and its politicking and lobbying have become a critical factor in who gets elected to the Triumvirate. 'Decentralized power' Before the A.C.R.E. audit, the Triumvirate was the primary governing body of the House, and could effectively control most Eridanus operations. This balance of power within the House’s politics has shifted post-audit. The Triumvirate was never set up to control an entity as large as A.C.R.E., and has been forced to subdivide their governmental responsibilities through the appointment of many new committees, councils, and other governmental structures. This process decentralized political power in the House. The Triumvirate is still the most prestigious political body in House Eridanus, but their influence is now more indirect, through appointing the members of the other branches of the government, rather than direct control over daily operations. Many of these new governmental bodies, such as the Actii Mercantil and Ordo Fiducalem, are just as influential as any Triumvirate office. These different organisations are constantly trying to exert their influence over one another, whilst projecting an image of unity and efficiency to those uninitiated in House Eridanus’ internal politics. 'Office of the Trivox - Bankers and Bureaucrats' Eridanii as the keepers of the Eridanus Imperial Bank are expert lenders and keen scholars of financial law and theory. The Office of the Trivox, although most visibly the public face and diplomatic wing of the house, are keen recorders of contracts and financial dealings. The office works closely with the Crux Papierkrieg Büro in keeping records of financial dealings across the sector, and is the primary authority on intervention when such contracts are broken. The Trivox also directly appoints the Eridanii emissary to the Emperox. Offices subject to the Trivox 'Office of the Taxarch - Duty to Taxation' House Eridanus is most well-known for its role as the taxmen of the sector. It is a simplistic view of the Office of the Taxarch’s responsibilities but in a way is accurate. The Imperial coffers need filling for the Emperox to exercise God’s will and House Eridanus is duty-bound to assist in gathering tax revenue for the treasury. House Eridanus lacks the legal power to set taxation rates for imperial levies but advises the Emperox on sound fiscal policy. With the Emperox’s sound judgment, the Office of the Taxarch collects tax revenue from planetary governments across the empire. Often the House is contracted by planetary governments to write and enforce tax codes on the planet’s behalf. A complex system of tradition, obligation, expertise, reprisals, and recognition of the efficiency of the Eridanii bureaucracy keeps many tax codes across the sector closely linked with the Taxarch and their officers. Unwarranted animosity has built up over the years, whereby House Eridanus is villainized for simply executing the will of the Emperor and ensuring the stability of the sector. Offices subject to the Taxarch 'Office of the Transactos - Trade and Profit' Aside from their role as tax collectors, many Eridanii thrive off the profits of their Noble Companies. Most families are invested in one or more of House Eridanus’s many industries. Families such as the Opolens or Strodiz family, own vast trade fleets and use contacts made from all factions to ensure their ships are not only full but also protected from even the most daring of pirates. The Office of the Transactos efficiently delegates and organizes both logistics and regulation of industrial production and trade. As the leader of the High Masters of the Economy and Trade Committee, the Transactos is responsible for deciding the agenda of the Actii Mercantil and has great influence over the trade regulations of Acheron Rho. The Eridanii are far from scrupulous when it comes to trade matters and will trade and transport all but the most illegal substances of The Empire. As trade envoys and tax collectors, House Eridanus can offer the best prices and the transport of questionable items past authorities that might otherwise stop other merchants. Offices subject to the Transactos Goods and Services of House Eridanus Tiber is a natural producer of many tropical plants and through their many roles the government of the house also enables several services. A breif selection of the house's products: *Blackleaf Farms tobacco *Strix Coffee Company *Data Eduction, Lineation, and Predictive HEX Informatics (DELPHI) *The Grey Eyes a portable cybernetic version of DELPHI *Debtor's Orchid the flower you give to those in debt *Fizzy Cheese (Second Wave) *Lyran and Eridanii Co-Developed Medication *Stordiz Shipping Company *The Black Book *Tiber Springs™ Tax-Grade Water *Tiberian Lumber *Mechanized Lumberjacks *Tiberian Teas *Tea Hexahedrons aka T-Hexes * Various and sundry financial products such as stocks, bonds, options, and Vassal Coupon Contracts 'Actii Mercantil' The Actii Mercantil are the overarching mercantile guilds that guide and regulate the innumerable businesses controlled by House Eridanus. Actii are present across the whole sector, and are the economic governmental structure of House Eridanus. Individual companies are members of an Acti that represent their industry’s interests within the Empire, similar to a guild. The primary mandate of the Actii Mercantil is providing an economic framework for Noble companies. Individual Actii enforce regulations and set prices for specific industries and all Eridanii companies are required by law to be a member of an Acti, but nobility from other Houses can voluntarily opt to become members. The Actii are mostly self-regulatory, and their regulations are intentionally constructed in a complex and byzantine way, to allow for the duels of bureaucracy that Eridanii nobles excel at. House Eridanus Companies House Eridanus’ wealth is not concentrated in the upper echelon of the House, but is distributed amongst all Eridanus’ noble families. Each family in House Eridanus owns one or more Noble companies. These companies each make up a small piece of the massive House Eridanus economy. Noble and High Companies Noble companies own subsidiary High companies, managed by the family’s Viscounts and Discounts. High Companies are in charge of large scale industrial production, while Noble Companies deal with sector wide trade and more niche, luxury commodities. Collectively, all these companies comprise a large part of the sector's economy, industrial capacity, and resource extraction. 'The Force of the Currents' With the acquisition of A.C.R.E's extensive industry and correlated military capacity, House Eridanus possesses two means of projecting its emboldened firepower, one Internal and one Defensive. Internally, the Actii Condotta and Canó are hired by Eridanii nobles for military operations. Defensively, the militias of Tiber and Demnoph deter factions from forcibly landing on Eridanii centers of control. Acti Condotta and Acti Canó are two Actii Mediane who represent the house’s forward operating force assets. Acti Condotta, a guild of private military companies, are collectively responsible for the security of the House, and its assets across Acheron Rho. These guilds are able to fund experimental units and utilize technological marvels to create super-soldiers. The genetically and cybernetically enhanced G.E.T.I. Units are one such marvel. The Tiberian Planetary Militia (TPM) and Demnophi Planetary Militia (DPM) are the two local defenses of the planetary governments of Tiber and Demnoph respectively. Trained in planetary defense and guerrilla warfare. Eridanii refer to these troops conscripted from their planets as Ripenses, “soldiers of the riverbank”. 'Clandestine Eridanii' ''The Margin Scheme'' The so-called Margin Scheme is a secretive organization within House Eridanus, operating as a catch-all deniable asset to be called upon in extreme circumstances. The "margin" refers to the margin of error present in Eridanii financial and census documentation. This margin of error accounts for both the funds allocated for the Margin Scheme's use, as well as its recruitment pool, Eridanii nobles who have been officially pronounced dead. Members communicate in the field using a haptic Morse code transmitted via plain, black wristwatches. The Margin Scheme has been known to be involved in scouting, espionage, assassination (although quite rare), and recovery of high priority assets. ''The Tax Breachers'' Subversive and self-serving, the implacable Eridanii mafia, the Tax Breachers work behind the scenes in Eridanii government to advance their own wealth and agendas. They manipulate and skirt the law in search of money and power. Rumor has it that at least one member of the Triumvirate is a Tax Breacher at any given time. They are experts in fraud, racketeering, extortion and all other types of financial crime. 'The Ordo Fiducalem' A publically visible aspect of Eridanii government, the Ordo Fiducalem is the Eridanii surveillance apparatus which keeps serfs bound to Eridanii in check. It detects and eliminates subversive elements within Eridanii holdings and assets, and removes them. It is a remnant of A.C.R.E.'s Demnoph Central Intelligence and retains much of its old structure, but with noble oversight. Culture Children of their Imperial Duties and their luscious tropical world of Tiber, the Eridanii have rich traditions that span near a thousand years. While some things such as faith are private matters within Eridanii society; other facets of life within House Eridanus space are highly structured and followed by all members no matter their status or wealth bracket. Much of the traditions of House Eridanus are centralized around their worldview of debt. Eridanii marriage, funeral traditions, vassal contracts, and even sport are all influenced by the practical financial concerns of the penny-wise house. :see our Board for examples of Eridanii Aesthetics Eridanii NPC’s Viscount Eridanus Theodorou Douglas – Poor lord on Echo's moon down on his luck. Empress Eridanus Eridanus Juliana – The Second Emperox of Acheron Rho. Taxarch Eridanus Eridanus Ricardo – Husband to The Mother of Mercy. Quant Eridanus Alexander Espesen - Attaché to the selectors of the Comptroller on Imperial Prime. Vaultkeeper Eridanus Eridanus Avon II – The current Vaultkeeper of the House. Countess Eridanus Warren Kate – Representative of the owner of the HCS ‘Prudence. History 'Pre-Scream' House Eridanus was among the first peoples to civilize the sector during The War for Human Prosperity 2215 – Eridanus Constellation Ships assisted in the founding of the Empire. 2216 – Formation of the noble House Eridanus 2217 –Eridanus Imperial Bank is formed and provided a safe-haven for the Emperox’s finances 2226 – Tiber is colonized. House Eridanus was told that the jungles would do more harm than good but through ruthless efficiency and a disregard for serf life, they eked out an existence along the river in a town later called Tiberium. 2315 – Empress Eridanus Eridanus Juliana was anointed as the Second Emperox of Acheron Rho 2415 – Empress Juliana’s fiscal policies provided the way for The Golden Age of Acheron Rho. She was succeeded by the enigmatic Emperox Diomikato. 'Post Scream' 2668 – Sub-light-speed travel was quickly re-developed after The Scream and a period of intermarriage cultural mingling blossomed with the noble House Reticulum of Aomori 2698 – With the arrival of House Vela Navigators Eridanus was reunited with the Empire however, the Alvero System was still left isolated before more widespread use of Drive ships and accurate mapping of save drive-lanes created the modern empire in 2792. 2806 – A.C.R.E splits from House Eridanus. Nobles fed up with the squabble over the holy throne of the Emperox, divested themselves of their nobility and formed a new corporate entity on Demnoph. 2874 – A HEX Crash ruined the local economy and building projects were left half complete. The city of Tiberium was lost to economic ruin, and Tyr was made the new capital of Eridanus’ homeworld. 2892 – The Vaultkeeper of Eridanus was assassinated and Legate Aquila Alejandra Ari] took on revenge for our house, during this war, the vast trade ships and logistical expertise were at the disposal of the one later known as the Blood Eagle. 2902-2955 – Despite her ascension to the seat of the Emperox, The Blood Eagle was not well-liked, a second civil war raged. House Eridanus was outwardly neutral to supportive of the Blood Eagle, seeking the divine stability of a duly elected Emperox, factions within the House waged covert war for power and credits. 3168 – The Titans psiball team are bought from House Aquila and are rebranded The Tiber Titans. 3175 – Growing support for psiball among Tiberian commoners leads to the formation of the Tyrian Warlocks. 3185 – House Eridanus declares open war against the Cygnus Emperor, Betrayer of Humanity. 3200 – House Eridanus with the other Houses Minor rally behind the defense of Diomikato and threaten war against A.C.R.E and the Sector Trade Organization (STO). In Autumn of the same year, an extensive audit of the A.C.R.E. Corporation resulted in the acquisition of a majority of the corporation's factories, farms, and other such assets. 3201 - Formal acquisition of the planetary government of Demnoph and later Yakiyah Category:Factions Category:Noble Houses Category:House Eridanus Category:Houses Minor Category:Tiber Category:Demnoph Category:Yakiyah